1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheeled walker, and more particularly, to such a walker that includes retractable wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several designs for wheeled walkers have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes retractable wheels that permit a user to lean on the walker as he or she moves and using it as a non-moving support upon exceeding a predetermined force magnitude with his or her weight.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,592 issued to Tartaglia on Feb. 26, 2008 for a rolling cane. Tartaglia's patent shows a wheeled device 100, with a handle 330 that provides stability to a user. To achieve a fixed position of device 100, the patent discloses the use of brake 400. However, it differs from the present invention because a user is required to actuate a separate brake mechanism 400 with the awkward movement of the heal of his/her hand. In the present invention, a user does not need to lift his/her hands from the handle since he/she only needs to apply more or less weight thus overcoming the spring loaded brakes associated with the wheels.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.